By Peter Moore at Goodwood Saturday 2nd May 2026
The final two races of Goodwood’s Saturday meeting were abandoned after three horses slipped on the pull-up area following the 1m2f handicap due to a heavy shower that hit the track.
A lengthy investigation took place following the sixth race on the card, and officials deemed the track unsafe, which resulted in the last two contests being called off.
Speaking to Racing TV, clerk of the course Ed Arkell said: “Everybody’s been happy with the ground over the last two days. It’s been nice, quick, ground, and we’ve had a very heavy shower on it, and it’s not had a chance to get in. Horses pulling up past the winning line are slipping.
“Despite the work we tried to carry out, it wasn’t sufficient for us to carry on. We had a lot of rain and it takes time for it to get into the ground.”
Before the rain came, jockey Pierre-Louis Jamin made it six winners from his last 17 rides at a healthy strike rate of 35% after completing a double at the Sussex track.
The Frenchman took the opener on the card after producing Ciarrai Abu with an explosive turn of foot to go on and win by three quarters of a length for trainer Harry Eustace.
Thirty five minutes later, Jamin steered the Karl Burke trained Soul Love to victory in the Listed Race, Fitzdares Chelmer Fillies Stakes run over six furlongs.
The Starman filly has now won three of her four outings, having struck at Southwell on her debut in November.
Blue Bolt made a successful return to action in the Listed Conqueror Fillies’ Stakes under Colin Keane.
Owned by Juddmonte and trained by Andrew Balding, who enjoyed an across-the-card treble with a double at Newmarket, the four-year-old filly chased down Kon Tiki in the final stages to make it a fourth win from seven starts.
Trainer Neil King is making a habit of landing big Saturday races and that trend continued after he saddled Arc Zoosve to victory in the 2m handicap.
The tenacious five-year-old made all under Harry Davies to hold on by a length from Solar Pass.
Owner Iain Francis has only had the horse for a short space of time, winning on the past three occasions since the gelding has been trained by King.
Having been consistent on the AW surfaces, The Thames Boatman completed his first victory on grass after landing the 5f handicap with Finley Marsh aboard, staying on strongly by a head from Sandscreendeliverd and Spring Bloom who dead heated for second place.
The 1m 2f handicap went to the William Haggas trained Yabher who produced a quick turn of foot to score impressively by six lengths from City Of Delight.